Ivy Day in the Committee Room
Starting off with the title: Ivy day is the day to remember and honour Charles Stewart Parnell, he is a very important figure for the Irish and many people looked to him to change Ireland and help them break free from British rule. (Home Rule) October 6th (1891)is the day that Parnell died, and also the date of when this story takes place as a day of remembrance for Parnell.
It starts off with Old Jack and Mr. O’Connor, one of the canvasses (people that go out and try to get votes from people).
O’Connor is supposed to be out working to get votes but instead he stay insides the committee room. O’Connor does not really take his job seriously, when the tries to light his cigarette, the uses the (old jack offered match) pasteboard card that advertises the Municipal election, which kind of shows he doesn’t really care at all in supporting the new Nationalist candidate, Tierney.
The room is dark with only light from the hearth (fireplace).Overall it shows just how dismal and dark things seem with Parnell’s death. The weather outside was also inclement meaning a rough storm, and Ireland is kind of going through a stormy weather as well under the rule of Britain.
Jack and O’Connor are joined by Mr. Hynes, another canvass. Jack then lights a few candles to brighten up the room.
The candle lit up the denuded (bare, empty) room, the fire lost all cheerful colour in sense it seems hopeless, the fire could represent nationalism (which would be burning throughout the story) is lighting an empty ambition, the people are unwilling to fight for the country. Just like the people in the Committee room, instead of going out and getting votes, they stay inside and worrying about pay (once again MONEY) and gossiping behind each other’s backs. Throughout the men will be constantly talking about each other and being suspicious if they were British spies.
They talk about having to welcome the King Edward the Seventh which is a monarch of German descent, and will be visiting, and Tierney although a Nationalist will greet him.
Tierney may not be the best nationalist candidate. He never shows up and he’s only talk about, but his name is “Tierney” which sounds a lot like tyranny. His first name is also Richard, which derives from German and English and French (ruler and strong) it might symbolize he’d be more willing to support the British. Not the best to change and help Ireland.
"Our man won't vote for the address," said Mr. O'Connor. "He goes in on the Nationalist ticket."
They say Tierney is a NATIONALIST, it could be referring to “After the Race” where the father was once a Nationalist, and not really devoted to Ireland anymore. (Shoneen)
At one point Jack rakes the coal then, and it probably symbolizes him not wanting to talk of unpleasant things in the past. There is an idiom “rake over the coals” meaning such. (passing of Parnell and Ireland’s bad history and oppression.)
Later they discuss about welcoming Edward again. Parnell lost due to the fact that he divorced his wife and had a long term relationship with another woman. Divorce back then was looked down upon and not accepted ((Catholic) immoral—bad due to religion.). He did divorce and eventually remarried, the divorce eventually led to his downfall. He died soon after. It is funny how Parnell was shamed while King Edward himself had a lot of affairs, but suffered little.
At the very end Mr. Hyne reads recites a piece. It basically talks about how Parnell which is like the Uncrowned King of Ireland, Ireland or “Erin” in this case will mourn with him gone; If he was still here he’d lead Ireland into glory. It mentions near the end about the Phoenix, which mean rebirth/being reborn. So until he is reborn Ireland will not get better. But he’s dead so basically they’re waiting for something that won’t come back.
They all drink from their bottles; the bottle embodies the principles of containing and enclosure. In a sense they are enclose inside Ireland and they are contained and separated from their fellow people, they aren’t acting TOGETHER. People in the committee, supposed to be working together, help Tierney, but instead they spend gossiping about each other. (Not trusting own people, the Irish. Just like the committee members.)
Throughout the story the fire from the hearth remains lit throughout. Fire could mean warmth, pain or death. It could also mean inspiration. The fire could represent Irish Nationalism. Throughout the story the men in the Committee room would interact with the fire. They’d gaze into the fire, sometime approach it and at one point Mr. Henchy went up to the fire “rubbing his hands as if he intended to produce a spark from them.” Maybe it meant he wanted to fuel the fire of Nationalism. He also spits at the fire nearly putting it out, perhaps showing that he doesn’t want to fight for Ireland anymore.
At some point a priest shows up. The priest goes nowhere near the fire. The priest merely enters and leaves. He also mentions he couldn’t see because it was so dark when he was leaving, it was Mr. Henchy that helped light the way with the candle, a small fragment (Nationalism) to light the way. He may have lost his sense of nationalism, without it it’s too dark for him to see and he’s lost. Perhaps it means the loss of devotion since Father Keon, the priest is a religious person, if he seems uncertain about himself (looking like a poor clergyman or actor=mean false/deceit) perhaps he is hiding something. Loss of Devotion in Nationalism. (Unsure of which religion to support, Protestant or Catholic. –Uncertain, doorway in or out.
-Earlier, when Jack mentions the drunk the son, he says how can sons speak in such a rude way to their fathers. It could mean in the loss of faith with the new generation and how they’re not supporting the father anymore, maybe father in a sense that they stopped supporting Parnell, or the old generation.(GAVE UP)
Jack is the one that paid close attention to the fire; he always sat close to it and tended it with coal. Maybe he could have done something to help Ireland, but sadly he’s was a mere caretaker and had little power to change things, while the canvasses in charge of political matters did nothing.
At the end after reciting the poem about how things would have worked if Parnell was not shamed by his people, it shows that their hopes are all on Parnell, but they are waiting for a hope that will never come. They sit there merely talking but never doing. They are stuck, paralyzed in this timeframe.
They’re wearing the Ivy and keep the memory of Parnell. Just remembering , not striving for what he did.
Crofton says it was a fine piece, agreeing that it’s right and good. They don’t really reach and epiphany, they just kind of agree things would have gone well it Parnell was here.
BELOW HIM. Doesn’t want to explain or say anything and simply agrees. Mean he’s willing to go with the flow, he doesn’t want to try. He’s too above, the people who are above aren’t willing to “drop lower” and help out.
Judiciously: evenly
Falsetto: a high=pitched, artificial way of speaking
P.L.G: Welfare officials were given the title of Poor Law Guardians
Solicits: asks, requests
Canvass: examine
Cocks him up: boosts his ego
Impudence: arrogant rudeness
A sup taken: had a drink
Bowsy: a troublemaker, a deceitful person
Denuded: naked; empty
In the lurch: in an embarrassing difficult situation
Tinker: [Irish; Scottish] a gypsy
Publican: a tavern keeper
Shooneens: and Irish man who imitates the English, both in custom and behaviour.
Hunker-sliding: [slang] neglect, disregard, shirking
German Monarch:
Kowtowing: submitting to someone in authority
Spondulics: [slang] money, cash
Rake: a person who acts without self-control or restraint
Publican
Chiefly British . a person who owns or manages a tavern; thekeeper of a pub.
2.
Roman History . a person who collected public taxes.
3.
any collector of taxes, tolls, tribute, or the like.
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